Bath time

Wednesday was a non birding day despite the fine weather we had but Thursday I had a chance of getting out - it rained!! I was busy trying to get a few photos of the Siskins in the morning. There are quite a few flocks of them around at the moment but the ones that come to the feeders always provide some good entertainment. It appears that there are only 2 or 3 birds but if they all fly up together there is about 15 of them. They come down to the feeders for the peanuts....

...and happily peck away....

...until someone else wants a peanut or two.

You can see the tail starting to spread as a warning to the Chaffinch - 'They're my nuts and you can't have any!' Fair warning there but don't get any closer or else...

....out go the wings, the beak opens and the Chaffinch backs off to the washing line.

Very feisty for a small bird and it won't back down. This next threat display was to another Siskin that was trying to get in on the act.

Fantastic to watch but it was a shame the post was in the way for the photos. The Coal Tits didn't seem to get the same treatment but they are always in and out in a flash.

By the time I eventually got out the rain was persistent and I didn't see much more than a WT Eagle and a couple of GN Diver.

Today the rain had disappeared but the wind was blowing fairly hard so I thought I'd give it a shot and see what was out there. A couple of Pied Wagtail have finally turned up again but they were pretty flighty so it's a poor shot of the male bird being blown sideways.

A Little Grebe was taking the opportunity of a bit of shelter to have forty winks.

A Greenshank took flight and moved a bit further up the shore so I followed it and attempted a few shots.This one I took through the window as I knew the bird would fly if I opened it.

A lone Curlew was a bit more confiding though and it was bath time. First, a bit of a rub down...

..and then, splash it all over...

...a nice blow dry...

....brrrrrrrrr, isn't that water cold!!

It was bath time again a bit further along the road as a few Chaffinch bathed in a stream.

The next shot might be blurry but it adds to the movement.

I could hear Siskins calling not too far away so I moved in for a closer look to find them decimating the Larch cones. It looked a bit like the first one to finish a cone had to find the next branch or tree that provided the next meal and the rest would follow. A couple of Grey Herons were standing in a pool and provided a better chance of a photo. I managed to get this one as it took off.

The local WT Eagles are still putting their finishing touches to the nest but it was nice to see both birds carefully arranging the 'furniture'! A Hooded Crow was belting out it's name, CRAAA, CRAAA, CRAAA, to anyone that would listen as I headed back home.